My story begins in August 2005, when my husband, thirteen-year-old daughter, eleven-year-old son, and I evacuated New Orleans. We brought along our two dogs, Jack and Buddy. I'd kept a journal all my life and added to it when the events of Hurricane Katrina began to unfold. My book is based on my journal and captures our hurricane evacuation experiences as well as our everyday life in a very different post-Katrina world.

Who narrates your book?

Natalya Bykov (Chatterbox Voice Overs,

www.chatterboxvo.com) is the narrator of the audiobook. She brought our story to life with her expert, and moving, narration. Order the audiobook on Amazon HERE, on Audible HERE, or on iTunes HERE.

Author of Below the Water Line: Getting Out, Going Back, and Moving Forward in the Decade Following Hurricane Katrina

The song "Below the Water Line" by Paul Soniat inspired my book. Listen to an excerpt of the song and order the song here: paulsoniatcom

What was the inspiration for the title of your book?

One of the questions I'm frequently asked is how I chose the title "Below the Water Line." Songwriter and musician Paul Soniat wrote the song a year after Hurricane Katrina, and its lyrics resonated with me.

My life fell below the water line in the summer of 2005. As Hurricane Katrina approached, our family was expecting a two-day "hurrication" and quick return to our home in New Orleans, but that didn’t happen. Come along and experience an up close and personal account of the days—and years—following one of the most devastating events in American history.

The e-book version (Kindle, Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone) is available on Amazon.com (downloadable e-reader converters also are available on the site). The audiobook is available on Audible HERE and on Amazon HERE.